Wildfire Spreads Near Popular French Tourist Town as 20,000 People Are Moved to Safety
About 700 firefighters are battling the blaze as police investigate a possible accidental ignition and authorities open reception centres for evacuees.
- A terrifying "fire tornado" has forced nearly 12,000 residents and tourists to evacuate near Arcachon Bay, France. The blaze began in the commune of Saumos, Gironde, threatening the popular tourist destination.
- Extreme heat and sustained drought-like conditions transformed the Gironde department into a tinderbox, enabling the wildfire to consume more than 2,000 hectares of land southwest of Bordeaux.
- Gironde Prefect Sophie Brocas reported that around 700 firefighters have been mobilized to combat the blaze, including reinforcements from Paris. Crews are working around the clock to contain the fire near Lège-Cap-Ferret.
- Despite the magnitude of the conflagration, regional authorities confirmed that no casualties have been recorded thus far. The fire front recently crept to within 300 metres of the nearest homes in Lège.
- Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that over 12,500 wildfires have broken out across France since the year began. These fires have ravaged close to 44,000 hectares of terrain amidst escalating summer danger.
248 Articles
248 Articles
The fire in Saumos, Gironde is progressing towards Bordeaux. The communes located on its road will be evacuated, including communes of the agglomeration.
The forest fire near Bordeaux continues to spread. Many holidaymakers have to pack their bags in a hurry. The region is also popular with Germans. And the weather forecast makes little hope.
Benjamin Lembrechts (38) was woken up by sirens at 3:30 am and had to flee his campsite. Jan Vlieghe (48) saw flames heading towards his escape route during his evacuation at Cap-Ferret. Elke Urbain (50) spent the night in a reception hall and Alexander Olislaegers (20) suddenly saw a new plume of smoke appear in Lacanau. The four Flemish holidaymakers saw the forest fires near Bordeaux getting closer and closer. “We kept going on adrenaline.”
The first evacuations concerned mainly tourists, but thousands of inhabitants must now flee the banks of the Arcachon basin.
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